I recently won a single bag of Teeccino from Faith’s Give Away
If you’re not familiar with Teeccino, it’s caffeine-free herbal coffee.
“It’s a blend of herbs, grains, fruits and nuts that are roasted and ground to brew and taste just like coffee.” source
Now, I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say it tastes just like coffee, but it’s definitely more coffee-like than tea-like, which for me, was a bonus.
I only tried one cup, of one flavor, the French Roast. The taste was bold, a little bitter like coffee is, and hearty.
I will admit, however, that I do like the blast of caffeine that coffee delivers and so not only is the Teeccino not exactly coffee in terms of taste, it’s not coffee in terms of caffeine levels. Meaning, it has none. If you can get past the caffeine issue, I think the taste is fine.
The Teeccino people suggest weaning off coffee by using 3/4 coffee to 1/4 Teeccino and then reducing your coffee intake and increasing your Teeccino intake until you’re caffeine free.
I am certainly not caffeine free. And have no intentions of becoming so.
I love coffee and recently did a big Coffee Reviews post where I reviewed a dozen coffees.
Like Smores Coffee
And reviewed a few of my daily go-to coffees
Coffee Review Post HereAnd not only do I enjoy caffeine, but if I can combine it with milk and sugar, even better.
Here’s my homemade Vegan Caramel Macchiato recipe
From my last post on Fat Tuesday, it seems most of you are not going out. It is a Tuesday after all.
I loved hearing about your crazy stories and shenanigans. However, most of you said you’re much more into being home-bodies than life-of-the-parties. Interestingly enough, it seemed that many of you would rather be at home watching movies on the couch or creating something in the kitchen than out amidst chaos. I can’t argue with that.
Dessert: Let’s stick with a caffeine theme.
If you don’t love coffee, but still love chocolate which has caffeine, you could try my Vegan Guiltless & Fast Hot Cocoa Recipe
And if you love chocolate and coffee, you can have both with Vegan Chocolate Chip Coffee Softserve
Questions:
1. Have you ever tried Teeccino? Thoughts?
If you’d like to try Teeccino, I’ve got the hookup for you. “Sign up for their newsletter and get a free Teecino tee-bag in the flavor of your choice.”
2. Are you addicted to caffeine?
No shame in saying, yes, I am. I get headaches if I go longer than 24 hours without a cup of coffee, and my brain and thinking isn’t as clear or sharp if I am caffeine-deprived. And yes, I get a little cranky without some caffeine in my system. I don’t “have to have” coffee in the morning, but after 24 hours of being caffeine-free or not having any cofee, I do really begin to miss it and want it.
3. Would you like to be caffeine-free?
No, I really don’t care and have no plans to become caffeine-free.
Why would anyone want to be caffeine-free?
Well here are a few pros and cons from this site:
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- Pro: Energy
- Caffeine’s most obvious benefit is that it can impart increased energy and improve mood. Those who only consume caffeine infrequently get a better boost than those who consume regularly.
Con: The Jitters
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- Drinking too much caffeine can cause the user to feel nervous and may interfere with sleep. Caffeine, even in smaller doses, can worsen symptoms in those prone to anxiety or panic attacks.
Pro: Memory Boost
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- The Mayo Clinic reports that various studies have shown that caffeine can temporarily boost performance on memory tasks. Long term, caffeine consumption may help decrease the risk of Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s and other related memory loss problems.
Con: Caffeine Withdrawal
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- Regularly consuming multiple servings of caffeine per day can lead to dependence. When you discontinue using caffeine, you may experience headache, fatigue and irritability for a day or two.
Pro: Antioxidants
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- The antioxidants that accompany caffeine in many drinks such as green tea and coffee, are linked with health benefits. These antioxidants may help reduce inflammation in the body and lessen the risks for cancer and heart diseases.
Con: Digestive Tract Problems
- Caffeine can cause or worsen digestive tract problems such as upset stomach and acid reflux.
As with anything in life, it’s a mixed bag and one study will come out saying a glass of red wine is good for you, another will say no, avoid alcohol entirely. Same with caffeine.
Or like in my Zodiac & Astrology post, if you look hard enough for reasons or signs, you can always find some data or study or information that will support/refute your own personal bias.
It’s a balancing act and moderation for me. A cup or two of coffee a day is what I have, and I set two cups as my daily limit. Period. I enjoy my cup or two, but when that’s done, I’m done.
And I will always reach for coffee over tea. I just love the taste of coffee. Tea is nice, I like it. Coffee is wonderful, I love it.
Where do you stand with caffeine? Is tea any “better” than coffee in your opinion?
I drink coffee a lot but I try to take 2 days a week to have a cup of tea instead of my morning coffee. I notice I am a little more tired those days but not to the point where I don’t get anything done. However, I am a bit addicted to caffeine
I NEED my coffee
Just went to the Teecino website…they’re out of samples, drat! Sounds interesting; I’d like to try it.
Love coffee, and have never read anything that convinces me I need to give up my two cups a day. I gave it up twice in my life for longer than two years each time…from the time I tried to get pregnant, through the time my kids were weaned at 19 months old.
I used to drink coffee but gave it up. I was never at the stage where it gave me the shakes, though. Now I mostly drink decaff iced tea or water.
As much as caffeine addition is bad, I don’t think giving up coffee completely is necessary. I mean, it has health properties on its own that the decaff version doesn’t. Still, my sister quit cold turkey when she started getting heart palpitations!
Ahh coffee. I just got back from vacation and the only thing I brought back from Puerto Rico was a big bag full of fresh coffee beans. I love my coffee! Now, I’ve been trying to cut down my amount of coffee that I drink on a daily basis but that’s mainly because I’m anal about my teeth! LOL! How vain I know, but it’s the truth! I enjoy my cup of coffee in the morning and I have no plans on cutting that out!
a friend of mine drinks coffee thru a straw so that the coffee never touches the front side of her teeth.
I think everybody’s body is different when it comes to caffeine and coffee. Obviously caffeine is the issue in the health reports more so than the actual coffee. Coffee is full of antioxidants and small amounts can be good for you, just like red wine. I have never been a huge coffee fan but I did give up caffeine in general about a year ago. Nowadays I get my morning boost from green smoothies. Coffee has definitely been bashed in books like Skinny Bitch and The Crazy Sexy Diet, mostly due to its acidity. If you go on any cleansing diet it is one thing that is required you omit. However, they also bash alcohol… sooo with that said I think it’s an okay thing in moderation as long as your body’s response to it is okay :)
ahh I got excited but im a little bummed it has no caffeine I still want to try this product though.
“after 24 hours of being caffeine-free or not having any cofee, I do really begin to miss it and want it”
Yes, me too!!! At the point I’ve given up every other vice in my life, coffee is here to stay. I don’t drink that much anyway, and I love the flavor and the perky boost!
if the worst thing on your vice list is coffee these days, you’re doing great :)
I love coffee and I drink it every day. I have no regrets over this – on any level. I am a nutrition consultant and when I was in school, this topic came up quite a lot: should people drink coffee from a health perspective. There are reasons on both sides why a person should/should not drink it. However, I believe that if it doesn’t bother your system and you function better because of it, why avoid it? Plus, I have found that the people who say coffee is so bad for you tout all the benefits of drinking a few glasses of red wine per day for the “antioxidants!” :-) Or, they will eat all kinds of processed foods and then say that coffee is bad. I am not harping on the processed food eaters. I am just saying, why put coffee down but not all the other bad stuff as well? I am not going to give up coffee and have NO problem saying that! My all time favorite is the Papua New Guinea roast. Delicious! :-)
amen girl
“found that the people who say coffee is so bad for you tout all the benefits of drinking a few glasses of red wine”
I love coffee but I don’t drink much of it — a cup or two at work meetings or if I wake up really groggy I’ll pick up a cup on my way to work. I used to drink a ton of coffee when I was in college but slowly weaned myself off.
I’m sensitive to too much caffeine — my sleep is horrible if I have some after 2-3pm. So I have to make sure to only drink it in the morning, or I need to be prepared to stay up really really late.
I am caffeine-free. It affects me like crazy and I hate coffee. Definitely don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything!
OK. I’m about to rant here. I’ll keep it short though.
There is absolutely NO conclusive scientific evidence that having caffeine in the form of coffee is bad for you. In fact, most studies say that 2-3 cups per day is GOOD for you, what with the antioxidants and whatnot. People calling coffee a “vice” is a serious pet peeve of mine. That’s like calling chocolate a vice. Which, I suppose some people do. But that is a whole other rant.
I drink coffee every. single. day. I am not ashamed, I do not consider it a vice anymore than I consider water a vice, I have no plans to stop.
Also, Teecino is NOT coffee. I’ve tried several flavors. I like the mint chocolate. But I like it in the afternoon. AS TEA.
Rant away. Thank you. Love it, and totally agree with you!
Sometimes we just have to hold our head high and enjoy our “vices”. If coffee is a vice, then what is drive-thru or most “food” sold in grocery stores? But yes, that’s a whole other rant. :)
I love coffee! but I do have to limit myself otherwise I will be up ALL night!
Love coffee. And I’m a researcher/student at Johns Hopkins, so I feel I have made a very research-informed decision to indulge. I drink between two or three cups a day, especially in the morning to get going. Also love it about an hour before a workout or walk, it helps me stay energized.
Agree with you that its all about balance and moderation. I add coconut creamer to mine but want to try the macchiato recipe you posted!
Wow, you have an impressive title!!
You sure love your coffee! Your blog is my to-go blog for coffee reviews and recipes. That soft serve looks amazing! Despite the name of my blog, I do love coffee and tea equally, though I probably drink more tea. I have a cup of either one every morning. I don’t think I’m addicted to caffeine, and honestly the only time I ever feel a caffeine buzz is if I drink too much coffee. Moderation is the key!
thanks for being your go-to coffee review blog :)
I definitely think tea is better, but only because I don’t like the taste of coffee. I love my caffeine and have no plans on giving it up. It sometimes affects my sleep, so I don’t have any after 8pm.